


Wild Thornberry Adventure

by PerkyGoth14



Category: Wild Thornberrys
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-17
Updated: 2014-09-17
Packaged: 2018-02-24 07:06:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2572550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Arlene's my name for the girl with the bow in the movie btw. I don't know why, but I just named her that, she's kind of an OC Stand In if you know what I mean. I know this chapter's short, but the story will develop a little more as time goes by let me assure you. Be sure to read & review, I really appreciate it. I never really watched the Wild Thornberrys series much as a kid, I only really liked the movie. I hope everyone is portrayed okay, but don't flame me if you hate this. I'm very sensitive and flaming's stupid.</p>
        </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Cherry was a little unhappy. She was going to stay out of fourth grade this year and go to a boarding school in London. She had always wanted to visit London, but she didn't like the idea of leaving her friends back home. She was reluctant. Her parents noticed how unhappy she was with some of the poor manners and behavior of the other students and thought she'd be happier with civilized students. She wore the traditional uniform. A golden sun hat with a black ribbon tied around it, a red jacket with white cuffs and golden buttons. Under her shirt was a little black tie, plaid skirt, white knee socks and dress shoes. She already didn't feel like herself. She was on a plane heading there and a teacher would pick her up from there.

"You must be Miss Cherry," the elderly woman told her.

"Yes ma'am." Cherry replied.

"Come with me, we'll be going in my car to the boarding school now." the woman took Cherry out the airport and set her bags in the back seat. She drove and looked at Cherry's glum expression. "Don't be so mopey, dear, I'm sure you'll love our school."

"I just miss my friends." Cherry sighed.

"I understand."

"Why do I always have to move when I just get comfortable?"

"We all need a little change once in a while, don't you think, dear?"

"I guess..." Cherry stared out the window to see the infamous London fog. Cherry smiled slightly at the nearly never-ending darkness and gloominess of London. She never understood why but she always loved the dark and cold, she never cared much for warmth or bright sunshine.

"You're not the only new student if that makes you feel better," the woman spoke up after silence. "We have a girl coming in with her grandmother who used to be a student of ours."

"Nice..." Cherry said softly.

"Maybe you can be chums, her name's Eliza Thornberry."

"Like that nature guy on TV my parents and brother watch?" Cherry turned her head.

"Yes, her father's pretty famous." the woman chuckled. "He's a rather bit nutty, but maybe Miss Thornberry will clash with her father."

Cherry shrugged and continued to look out the window in silence, wondering what life would throw at her at this new school.


	2. Chapter 2

Cherry began her first day of Beatrice Boarding School. It was a little hard to get adjusted, she couldn't go home at 3:00 of course and socialize with her family, and she would have to have dinner with strangers. Cherry walked along and accidentally ran into someone, knocking them both down.

"Watch where I'm going!" the other girl snarled.

"S-Sorry!" Cherry gulped as she adjusted herself on her feet.

"You better be, you're lucky I don't have a lawyer yet! You must be one of those new girls, hmm?"

"Yes..." Cherry pushed her glasses back and shakily took out her hand. "My name's Cherry."

"That's an unusual name," the blonde girl said. "My name is Sarah Wellington. Yes, the Wellington's..."

"Umm... Nice to meet you..." Cherry smirked. "It's nice to know you, Sarah."

"Of course it is." Sarah snobbishly smiled. "I don't have time for games, I have to meet my new room-mate," Sarah rolled her eyes at that. "Her name's Eliza Thornberry."

"I heard about her."

"Really? What do you know?"

"Her father runs a nature show and her mother films it."

"There's a lot of rumors saying she grew up in the jungle and she bathes where the animals drink." Sarah laughed.

"That's not very nice, Eliza could be friendly." Cherry insisted.

Sarah had a sinister smirk. "Say Cherry, want to be friends?"

"Would I!" Cherry's eyes lit up as she rushed to Sarah's way.

"Ah, ah, ah," Sarah tutted. "You can't be friends with Eliza if you want to be my friend."

"Sarah, that doesn't sound very friendly." Cherry frowned.

"Cherry, you have to learn you can't befriend just anybody," Sarah groaned. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to find my way to my room. I'll tell my other friends about you and maybe you could be a popular girl in boarding school."

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed as Sarah went the other way and Cherry was finding her way to her own room.

Cherry gathered her things and found the room number. She knocked on it a few times and waited a little. Within seconds, there came a girl with dark brown hair with an aqua colored hair bow and buck teeth. She smiled at Cherry.

"Oh hello, you must be my new room-mate, huh?" the girl greeted.

"That would be me," Cherry smiled and took out the paper Mrs. Fairgood gave her. "You must be 'Arlene St. Clair'."

"Yes, that's me," Arlene confirmed. "Come on in."

"Okay." Cherry smiled and went in the room to set up her things. The beds were identical, both had springy mattresses, glossy sheets and cool pillows. There was a giant window in the far corner of the room next to the wardrobe and had a great view of outside the school. "Must've been lonely to have all this room to yourself."

"A little, also hanging around Sarah and my other friend Muffy could get a little boring." Arlene smiled. "We'll be like sisters."

"I have a sister, she lives all the way in Washington DC now, I see her about once or twice a year." Cherry replied as she unpacked her things.

"Really? That must be cool, I wish I had a sister." Arlene smiled sadly.

"Have you been in this school long?" Cherry asked, making conversation.

"Sure, I'll help you out after you and that Thornberry girl get settled. I know this school like the back of me own hand."

"Thanks Arlene."

"Anytime, Cherry."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arlene's my name for the girl with the bow in the movie btw. I don't know why, but I just named her that, she's kind of an OC Stand In if you know what I mean. I know this chapter's short, but the story will develop a little more as time goes by let me assure you. Be sure to read & review, I really appreciate it. I never really watched the Wild Thornberrys series much as a kid, I only really liked the movie. I hope everyone is portrayed okay, but don't flame me if you hate this. I'm very sensitive and flaming's stupid.


	3. Chapter 3

The girls at the school were free to roam around outside for some fresh air, recess or any recreational time. Cherry was walking with Sarah, Arlene and a girl with puffy blonde hair known as Muffy Watson.

"So Cherry, you never been to boarding school before?" Muffy asked.

"Nope," Cherry shook her head. "I heard about it before, but I'm a little nervous."

"It's no trouble, Cherry," Sarah turned to her. "Only the finest girls get to come to Lady Beatrice School and your parents must be important if they managed to get you to attend here."

"Oh, I don't know about that, Sarah... I'm very plain."

"You'll get over that. I'll work on you to be more like me."

"What about being myself?"

"No one wants that," Sarah wrinkled her nose. She then noticed Eliza with the other girls. "What is that Thornberry girl up to now?"

Cherry looked with the girls. "She looks like she's feeding and talking to the squirrels." she thought as she pushed her glasses back.

"Cherry, look before you, we call that a social outcast." Sarah instructed.

"I heard she hails from the jungle in a motor home," Arlene giggled. "And she bathes where the animals drink."

"Ewww!" the other girls mocked as they pinched their noses and went off to a different part of the school.

"Next thing you know she'll bring an animal in my room." Sarah laughed.

Cherry felt uncomfortable with the other girls. She was enjoying being one of the popular girls of a high social status in school, but it made her feel yucky deep inside her stomach. The day went by smoothly, but Cherry felt deeply guilty for making fun of Eliza since she didn't know her very well. It was then dinner time and the girls gathered in the elegant dining room of the school.

Cherry grabbed her tray and got a serving of her evening meal. She followed Muffy and Arlene to find a spot. On the way there, they passed Eliza who was sitting alone and looked very glum.

"Come on Cherry, why don't you have a go at the Thornberry girl?" Muffy nudged Cherry.

"Guys, this has to stop," Cherry protested. "She might actually be nice. I'm a lot like her at my old school and she probably feels depressed because of you guys."

Muffy and Arlene glanced at each other, feeling guilty themselves.

"Cherry, we're sorry, we gave into peer pressure with Sarah," Arlene explained. "She's kind of from very high-class and controls the school if you know what I mean."

"We're truly sorry." Muffy added. "Please don't be angry with us."

Cherry glowered at them, but her expression softened as she saw they were indeed sorry and sincere. She smiled at them.

"Come on, let's go talk to Eliza. I bet she's nice." Cherry walked over with Muffy and Arlene following to Eliza's lonely table. "Eliza, we're curious, have you ever seen a tiger up close?"

"Close enough to pet." Eliza replied with a smile, revealing shiny braces.

"Oh, really?" Arlene asked with interest.

"Tigers, bears, Komodo dragons," Eliza listed from her memories. "Once, when we were in the Arctic I hung out with this polar bear."

"Tell us more!" Cherry pleaded with her hands clamped together.

The other girls chattered and nodded in agreement as they found Cherry's idea to befriend Eliza to be a very great idea that evening. Sarah then came over to the table, looking flustered and envious of Eliza's sudden attention and expansion in the social circle.

"Sarah, Eliza swam with the whales." Arlene told the dark-blonde haired girl.

"Isn't that lovely?" Sarah sighed sarcastically.

"Tell us more, Eliza." Muffy begged.

"Your family must've been on awesome adventures in the animal kingdom," Cherry said, then turned to the other girls. "Her father has his own nature show and her mother films it."

"Are you a fan?" Eliza asked.

"Kind of," Cherry turned back. "I'm not crazy about it, but I do love animals and know a lot about them."

"Polar bears are really gentle once you get to know them." Eliza told her.

"I've always wanted to meet a Panda." Cherry whispered in awestruck.

Sarah simply rolled her eyes at all the commotion. While the girls talked someone very short came over in a traditional boarding school uniform, complete with sun hat. She tapped Eliza's shoulder and Cherry looked down with curiosity as she saw the student wasn't a human girl, but a chimp with red lipstick.

"Darwin?" Eliza whispered in shock and fear.

"I know, don't I look fetching?" the chimp laughed.

"I don't think you're supposed to be here, sir." Cherry whispered with a stifled giggle.

"I'll be just fine," Darwin told her, then his eyes widened. "Wait, you can understand me?"

Cherry nodded with a small smile.

"But how?" Darwin asked.

Cherry shrugged. "I've always been able to talk to animals."

Eliza stammered and looked around, then noticed the other girls got anxious to hear more about her stories. "Uh... Where was I? Oh yes, swimming with dingoes... Uhh... Dolphins I mean! But enough about me, did anyone try the boiled cabbage? Oh, I can't get enough boiled cabbage. I'm going back for seconds. Anyone else?"

"Uhh... I'll be right with you, Eliza!" Cherry said trying to cover up Darwin's secret as she put a tray in front of his face, putting him in the shadows.

The others girls examined him with wonder and curiosity.

"Who is that girl?" Arlene asked as Darwin was hidden behind a giant bouquet of lavender flowers.

"I never seen her before." Muffy added.

"When did she come to Lady Beatrice's?" a girl named Greta Scott asked.

"Is she Eliza or Cherry's friend?" another girl named Victoria Birdwell added.

"That's my monogram!" Sarah snapped and pointed an accusing finger as Darwin reached for a roll from the basket. "Who are you and why are you wearing my new blazer!?" Sarah gripped Darwin by the shirt and swiped off his hat to reveal he wasn't a girl, but a chimp. "There's an ape in my uniform! Give it back! Give it back!"

"Did he escape from the zoo?" Muffy asked in shock and worry.

"Darwin, no!" Cherry and Eliza gasped as Darwin flung a roll against Sarah with annoyance.

"Ooh!" Sarah growled.

"Food fight, everyone!" Arlene proposed with a laugh.

Cherry ducked under the table as everyone in the room began to throw food even if it was bad manners. Eliza wasn't sure what to do, but Cherry dragged her down beside her.

"It'll be okay, Eliza." Cherry told her.

"I'm curious, you can talk to animals, but you can tell everyone?" Eliza wondered.

"It was something I was born with, I don't know why or how I can, I just always been able to." Cherry replied. "I also heard you rescued that shaman that was disguised as a warthog, so it's okay if I know. I promise I won't tell anyone you can talk to animals though."

"Really?" Eliza smiled. "Thanks Cherry, you're a great friend."

"I wish people would get to know me better before they would decide if I'm friend material or not." Cherry added.

"Food is for eating!" Mrs. Fairgood's voice rang in the room as the food pelting continued. Cherry poked her head out from under and saw Darwin dangling from a chandelier raising heck with the other girls as Sarah slid across the table and people pelted her with food scraps and shoved a green apple in her mouth.

"This is the best meal we ever had!" Victoria chanted with a smile.

"MISS THORNBERRY!" Mrs. Fairgood yelled, stopping the mess.

After the food fight, the girls were ordered to hit the showers and clean up the messes before bed. Eliza was called to the horse stables to send Darwin away and was in more trouble than everyone else. Cherry hoped she could still be friends with Eliza even after this madness of tonight.


	4. Chapter 4

"I hope Eliza's not in a lot of trouble." Cherry said as she combed her hair down to get into bed.

"I'm sure she'll be okay, Cherry," Arlene said, sliding on her nightgown. "The other girls and I decided you were right and we should've given her a chance."

"See?" Cherry turned to her with a winning smile.

"We're going to see her and hear another one of her adventures, care to join us?"

"Thanks Arlene, I'd love that."

Arlene walked over to the door. "It's a long while before bedtime."

"It is, do you mind waiting for me a little?" Cherry asked. "I feel a little homesick now."

"Of course," Arlene understood. "Take your time, I'll wait for you."

"Thanks again, Arlene." Cherry smiled at her room-mate.

"But of course, Cherry." Arlene smiled back.

Cherry went outside in her rain boots and jacket as it was raining yet again. It had rained earlier and a lot into the day. Cherry didn't mind though, she always liked miserable weather. She never understood why though. She took a phone, used the special card and dialed the number of her home. She waited by the near endless dial tone, then she smiled once she heard a familiar voice.

"Hello?"

"Mom!" Cherry gushed.

"Hey!" Michelle sounded cheerful. "How's school? You making any friends? Do you miss us as much as we missed you?"

"Slow down, Mom, you sound more nervous than I did on the first day!" Cherry giggled.

"Sorry dear," Michelle laughed a little, then calmed down. "Anyway, how's school going?"

"I really miss you and Daddy," Cherry replied. "I have a nice room-mate, her name's Arlene. She let me join her little group with her, Muffy Watson and Sarah Wellington."

"Oh that's lovely, sounds like you got your own little posse." Michelle said.

"I guess." Cherry shrugged, she never understood slang very well.

"I'd let you talk to Dad but he's on his way to work now, I'll be going in half an hour as well."

"Send him my love."

"Of course dear, you have fun with your friends okay?"

"Okay Mom... bye..." Cherry never liked saying goodbye.

"Hey, you'll be home before you know it, don't worry."

"Thanks Mom, good morning."

"Good night, Cherry."

The mother and daughter hung up and Cherry met back with Arlene as Sarah was on her own way to use a telephone.

"Come on, let's get to Eliza's room." Arlene smiled as she gently took Cherry's hand and led her the way.

When the girls came in the room there were other girls surrounding Eliza as she told them what had happened with Darwin and Mrs. Fairgood. The girls sounded worried and empathetic for their new friend.

"Did Mrs. Fairgood make him go to the zoo?" Victoria asked.

"Where did he sleep?" Greta asked.

"Oh, Eliza, tell us everything!" Muffy begged.

"How did you ever smuggle a chimp in your suitcase?" Arlene asked.

"Now, now, one at a time, one at a time, she's had a long day." Cherry sat beside Eliza to calm down the commotion. "Let her breathe, let her breathe."

"Darwin decided to..." Eliza began, then realized what she said. "Oh, uh, I mean, it was easy. Hiding him from Sarah was a different story."

"Ooh! Miss Sarah Wellington thinks she's the bee's knees!" Muffy teased by pushing her nose up and exposing her front teeth to mock Sarah.

"Why would you ever come here where it's so boring?" Arlene asked with interest.

"I got into trouble." Eliza sighed.

"Oh gosh, you didn't endanger the Panda species did you?" Cherry asked with nervousness, Panda bears being her favorite animals.

"No Cherry, nothing like that," Eliza smiled apologetically. "I snuck out at night and there were these poachers, hunting some animals..."

"Poachers?" Cherry's eyes widened.

"With guns?" Arlene added with concern.

"What happened!?" Muffy cried. "Go on, Eliza."

"There were three cheetah cubs I knew," Eliza continued. "Like kittens, only wild. Well, we were running and we heard shots. And a man dropped out of a helicopter on a ladder and grabbed the one I named Tally. I tried to save him, but they cut the ladder..." Eliza got out of bed, hanging her head as she went by the window. "And... I fell... Tally was gone."

"Poor Tally!" Arlene moaned.

"I think he's alive." Eliza turned to the girls who were worrying or in tears. "I just feel it."

"This is terrible!" Cherry cried. "Can't we write a letter or something?"

"Let's have a bake sale!" a chubby girl named Lucia Schmidt proposed.

"Yes, let's!" Muffy agreed. "Oh, let us help!"

"Thanks, you guys but..." Eliza tried to settle them.

The door suddenly slammed open and the girls turned to see Sarah in her pajamas, rain coat, rain hat, boots and a drenching umbrella. "What's going on in my room and why wasn't I invited?" she demanded.

"Sarah," Arlene walked over to the spoiled girl. "Eliza was just telling us the most awful story about... Tally..."

"Never mind," Sarah waved her off. "I've been at Mrs. Fairgood's filling out a report and I'm quite tired. You'll all have to go."

"Good night, Eliza." the girls said as they left the room as Sarah told them to. "Good night, Sarah!"

"Good night, you guys!" Eliza called back as the door got shut.

"I still can't believe you harbored a wild animal in my room, and I never..." Sarah's voice was heard and Cherry couldn't help but crack open the door and listen in. She then giggled as Sarah swiped her comforter off from herself. "There are peas in my bed!"

Eliza just smiled and turned out the light.

Cherry giggled as she followed Arlene back to their room.

"Do you think Tally's alright, Cherry?" Arlene asked as she undid her hair ribbon and got into her bed.

"I hope so," Cherry replied, fluffing her pillow down. "Just imagine how Eliza must feel."

"I wish there was something we could do."

"Me too, hopefully we can all sleep through the night."

"I hope you're right, good night and sweet dreams, Cherry." Arlene clicked out the lamp and turned over in her sleep.

"Night Arlene..." Cherry moaned as a yawn escaped from her throat and her eyes felt heavy.


	5. Chapter 5

Cherry slept soundly quite alright, but then she felt roughness and dryness inside her mouth as she dreamt peacefully. She sat up in her bed and let out some hasty coughs. "I'm thirsty..." she said in a raspy, quiet voice. She slipped on her slippers and went to the other side of the room and opened the door. She creaked the door open, which woke Arlene up.

"Cherry?" Arlene sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"I'm getting a glass of water, Arlene, you can go back to sleep." Cherry told her, gently.

"Okay, carry on." Arlene adjusted herself back in her bed and continued to sleep.

Cherry closed the door gently behind herself and scampered down the long hallways and went in one of the bathrooms. She took out a glass, filled it with rushing cold water and drank it gently down her now fresh throat. She smiled, then put the glass down and walked out of the fancy bathroom and accidentally bumped into Eliza.

"Oops, sorry!" Eliza said in a hushed tone.

"Eliza?" Cherry rubbed her eyes and slid on her own glasses. She noticed Eliza was dressed like she was about to go out into the dangerous world. "Where are you going?"

"I need to save Tally before it's too late." Eliza replied. "This is important and secret, please don't tell anyone?"

"Maybe I can help?" Cherry asked, hopefully.

"I don't know, Cherry..." Eliza bit her lip.

"Please Eliza?" Cherry put her hands together.

"Well... Okay," Eliza gave in. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone."

"I promise." Cherry put her right hand up.

Just then a door opened and out came Sarah with her sleep mask over her head, looking angered, tired and worn out. She didn't look like she was up for any fun and games.

"What are you two doing?" Sarah demanded.

"We have to go." Eliza replied.

"I'm calling Mrs. Fairgood." Sarah snatched the room phone.

"No! Please!" Eliza slammed her hands away from the phone.

"You have to keep this a secret." Cherry added.

"Do you have a credit card?" Eliza asked, knowing Sarah's from a wealthy family and probably does have a card at her age. "I need three tickets to Africa."

"Africa!?" Sarah reacted with disgust. "I'm not taking part in this."

"My parents will pay you back, I promise." Eliza begged. "And no one will know you helped us."

"I won't tell anyone Sarah, not even Arlene." Cherry added. "Until it's all over."

"Until what's all over?" Sarah growled. "You're both acting so odd. I'm reporting you two at once."

"Sarah, please!" Eliza pleaded. "It's a matter of life and death. We have to go now and we really need your help. Please!"

"Just think," Cherry walked over to the snobby girl. "You'll get the room all to yourself again."

Sarah smirked at that and dialed a different number. "Would you prefer aisle or window?"

After a bit of talking, Sarah got Eliza and Cherry their plane tickets and didn't ask anymore questions. Cherry quickly went in her room to pack up and get dressed up for traveling. While there, Eliza would be at the horse stables to collect Darwin who was now with the prized horse, Thunder. Cherry felt guilty as she saw Arlene stir in her sleep. She then wrote a note and put it on Arlene's side of the night stand and quickly left with her bags together. She smiled at Arlene and mostly wrote in the note to thank her for being such a good friend.

"You don't have to do this, Cherry." Eliza said after she collected Darwin.

"We're friends, we help each other." Cherry told her.

"You deserve a lot of friends with your optimism and helpfulness." Darwin smiled.

"Thanks guys." Cherry smiled as they quickly ran from Lady Beatrice's School.

They went further into town and passed a lot of late night walking people. They made it to a trolley in time as it was about to leave. Cherry and Darwin spotted a man with a silver nose piercing and pink Mohawk and were creeped out by him. They looked away as Darwin grabbed him and pulled him away. When they got to the station they had to give their passports.

The man behind the desk looked at Eliza's and Cherry's and they were clear to go. Darwin then pressed his nose up and exposed his front teeth as the man took Sarah's passport. The man shrugged it off and let them go ahead anyway. Poor Darwin was fidgeting though since there was hay in the skirt he was wearing from the stable. They all then got on a plane, Eliza and Darwin were seated next to each other and there was a Moroccan man beside them. Cherry wasn't having such an easy time on the flight.

She was stuck in a middle seat, even though she asked for a window one. Next to her was an overweight woman with a fussy baby which cried and messed up her face a lot with stray baby food. And there was an older man leaning over Cherry and sleeping as drool hung from his mouth and made Cherry feel the most uncomfortable and claustrophobic she had ever felt. To make matters worse, the person sitting in front of her kept leaning back over her and there was a kid about six years old behind Cherry's seat who kept kicking it. In short, Eliza and Darwin slept okay on the plane and Cherry was having the most miserable flight of her life.


	6. Chapter 6

Cherry had gotten information that Sarah had told Mrs. Fairgood and the other girls that she, Eliza and Darwin were headed for Africa. Cherry had to adjust to warm weather despite her protests against it and she wore a dark blue tank top with black shorts and sneakers. Eliza wore a lighter blue tank top and cargo shorts with brown shoes. They were now on a train after a long, strenuous flight.

"How you holding up, Cherry?" Eliza asked.

"I'll be fine," Cherry yawned in mid-sentence. "I'm just glad to be off that plane."

"Sorry we couldn't get you to sit with us." Eliza smiled apologetically.

"Oh, it's okay. Why did we have to go to Africa? I hate hot and sunshine..." Cherry moaned.

"I'm sure you'll live."

"She has a point, Eliza, what if it's humid and my fur frizzes up?" Darwin frowned.

"Help! The poachers!" a distant voice called. Cherry and Eliza turned to see a rhino trapped half way in a net and he ran across the plains. "Help! The poachers! I've been shot!"

"Oh, poor guy!" Cherry moaned.

"Darwin, get up!" Eliza ordered.

"What?" Darwin snapped to forced attention.

"I'll get help!" Eliza rushed to find the conductor of the train.

Cherry pressed her face against the plate-glass window, wishing she could help the poor, endangered animal. Eliza begged and pleaded to get off the train, but almost no one would listen to her. She then went back to Cherry.

"Come on Cherry, we're getting off this train." Eliza said.

"Coming!" Cherry followed as she strapped on her backpack.

Cherry and Eliza jumped out of the train safely and slid cautiously down a small hill while the rhino slammed himself down on the ground. He looked very tired and worn out. The girls looked worried and they rushed over to aid him.

"Hang on, we'll get help for you, don't worry." Cherry tried to soothe him.

"They shot me... at the river..." the rhino wheezed. "They were trying to take my horn when I ran away..."

"Someone please help, this rhino's been shot!" Cherry cried out with tears stinging in her eyes.

As if on cue, there came a couple of people in a vehicle. A blonde man with a beard and a woman with dark blue hair. They came out of their car as they noticed the young girls with the rhino.

"Please help us," Eliza begged as she stood next to Cherry. "This rhino's been shot!"

"We're terrified he's in grave danger!" Cherry squealed.

"Oh dear." the blue haired woman handed Eliza something to press down upon the rhino. "Hold this, right here."

"Is he still alive?" Eliza asked, worriedly.

"Barely," the woman replied. "But don't worry, honey, I think I can save him."

"You're both very brave young ladies," the blonde man assisted. "We saw you jump from that train."

"We had to save this rhino." Cherry explained.

Eliza's eyes widened as she spotted the man take out a blade with a golden handle.

"That's the knife from the man who took Tally..." Eliza whispered with worry.

"Excuse me?" the blonde man asked.

"Honey, keep applying pressure." the blue haired woman instructed.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I just..." Eliza continued as her palms sweated.

"Oh, thank goodness," the blonde man looked afar as cars came by with officers. "The authorities."

"What happened here?" an officer asked.

"Poachers shot him," Cherry explained. "They're at the river. Please, you must find them."

"They took a cheetah cub!" Eliza added.

"Tally?" Cherry turned to her.

Eliza nodded.

"A cheetah?" a man asked.

"I recognized their knife," Eliza explained. "You have to call Jomo Umbelli."

"You know Jomo?"

"Yes, yes!" Eliza sounded in relief. "He's best friends with my father, Nigel Thornberry. Just tell Eliza found the knife. He'll know what it means."

"We were just at the river," the blonde man said, walking over. "There was no sign of poachers. Oh, by the way I'm Sloan Blackburn. We're studying endangered wildlife."

"There's going to be one less rhino in the world if we don't get this poor guy back to our camp." the woman sighed.

"My wife, Bree, she's a wildlife veterinarian." Sloan added.

"We'll take him back to our rhino sanctuary." the man with notes said as the others collected the rhino as he weakly breathed.

"Eliza, Cherry, they'll take care of him," Sloan told the girls. "Don't worry. Can we give you girls a lift somewhere?"

"He's right, we shouldn't be alone with poachers out there." Cherry added.

"No, thanks," Eliza sighed. "Our camp's not too far from here. You're welcome to come, Cherry."

"We have to get back to our work, girls, but I do hope we see you again." Bree smiled as Sloan got in the driver's seat and they drove off.

"Me, too," Eliza waved with Cherry. "Thanks for your help! Bye!" She then noticed Darwin weakly walking across the path, finally catching up. "Come on, Dar. We have to find those poachers."

"You mean, we have to find your parents, don't you?" Darwin groaned.

"You saw what those poachers did to that rhino." Cherry pushed her glasses back.

"If they're nearby then Tally is too!" Eliza added.

"Eliza, Cherry, no!" Darwin called out. "If those awful people see you again, they'll... well, they'll hurt you. And I'm not going to let that happen."

"You're right, Darwin." Eliza gave in. "We can't do this alone. All right, we'll find my parents' camp."

"It's not far, is it?" Cherry asked.

"We'll get there," Eliza replied, then bit her lip. "By morning..."

"Oh, I wish we'd never left Lady Beatrice's!" Darwin groaned.

"I agree," Cherry responded. "I could be having some disgusting warm tea by now with scones or pastries with Muffy and Arlene..."

"Thunder said there'd be days like this." Darwin squirmed.

"Don't be like that, you guys." Eliza said to them. "Come on, the sooner we go now, the sooner we'll get there. Now, come on."

Cherry and Darwin heavily sighed as they followed Eliza to the camp. They didn't stop for food or water, but did occasionally when they felt sore. They waited until they felt ready to walk again. Cherry panted heavily as she was sweating through her clothes and her glasses were nearly slipping off her face from the beating sun. She looked back at Darwin in worry and noticed he was cramped and tired so she let him ride on her back.

"Eliza, can we take a rest or something?" Darwin groaned. "Cherry's feet are killing me!"

"How do you think I feel, butt monkey?" Cherry snarled.

"Hey, be nice!" Eliza snapped at her.

Cherry, Eliza and Darwin made it into town and they caught a ride to take them closer to their destination. They got out eventually and made it and there was a tall, slender girl with her blonde hair in a ponytail and wore a tank top exposing her belly with blue jeans and flip-flops with a little boy with fluffed up brown hair in leopard skin shorts.

"Well, if it isn't the boarding school dropout and her sidekick, Chimpo?" the girl scoffed.

"Save it, Deb," Eliza huffed. "I need to talk to Mom and Dad."

"Well, they're not here," the girl said. "You can talk to me and pretend that I'm listening. Who is this?"

"Cherry," the brown-haired girl gave her name and looked up at her. "You must be Eliza's sister."

"Debbie, you could use some work in the fashion department." Debbie rolled her eyes, looking down at the younger girl.

"Where are your parents?" Cherry asked.

"Off in the jungle filming some solar thingy." Debbie snorted.

"But the eclipse isn't until tomorrow." Eliza told her.

"Whatever." Debbie crossed her arms.

"Fine, I'll call them on the radio." Eliza was on her way inside the van.

"Uh-uh-uh!" Debbie waved a finger. "Don't go in there!"

Eliza opened the door anyway and Cherry saw an older, elderly man snoring, fast asleep in a bed. Eliza then quickly shut the door.

"Who were those people?" Cherry asked.

"My grandparents," Eliza turned from Cherry to Debbie. "What are they doing here?"

"Taking you two back to England," Debbie replied, snarky. "Not that you both deserve to go."

"Well, we're not going back! We came back to find Tally and that's what we're going to do. We just need Dad's help!"

"What is wrong with you!?" Debbie whined. "You finally get a chance to escape our rolling jail and instead you come back like some freaky homing pigeon! You ruin my family name, and wreck my chance of ever getting out of this place!"

"Chill Deb!" Cherry said in a calm voice.

"This doesn't concern you, Geek-ette." Debbie pressed a waving finger against Cherry's nose tip. "I don't know about you, but I am NOT going to slow-dance at my prom with some purple-butt baboon!"

"Debbie, leave her alone!" Eliza grabbed Cherry's arm and pulled her toward her direction at the laptop to look up the solar eclipse. "We're going to find Mom and Dad and you're not going to stop us!"

"Oh, yes, I am!" Debbie smiled evilly at the pre-teenage girls.

"Debbie, no!" Eliza struggled as Debbie grabbed both of their wrists. The force was powerful, but then Eliza made Debbie fall inside a cage where Donnie, the short boy, got out and locked Debbie in as he grabbed the keys.

"Hey, let me out of here!" Debbie demanded.

"Sorry Deb, you'll have to take that up with the warden." Cherry teased as she saw Donnie play with the keys.

"Come on, Cherry!" Eliza ran with Darwin and Cherry to look for Mr. and Mrs. Thornberry while Debbie remained in the cage against her will.


	7. Chapter 7

Cherry, Eliza and Darwin were on their way to travel the jungle. Cherry felt tired and hungry, but she kept following her friend as advised. They then saw the wild child, Donnie swinging around and near a gorilla. Cherry grew worried for him, but Eliza and Darwin seemed calm as if it were natural.

"Does this human belong to anyone?" the gorilla lifted Donnie by his shorts as he had a beetle up his nose.

"Yes sir, thank you." Cherry smiled.

The gorilla let Donnie down in Cherry's arms. Donnie struggled a bit, but then oohed and awed at Cherry. He gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek and tugged on one of her braids.

"I hope he wasn't any trouble." Eliza smiled.

"Not really," the gorilla smiled. "But you might want to tell him when a gorilla is sleeping he doesn't want a dung beetle shoved up his nose."

"I hope it's just a phase." Cherry looked uneasily as Donnie continued to tug on Cherry. "Donnie, no!" she sounded firm.

Donnie babbled and laughed wildly.

"I'm looking for my parents by the way," Eliza told the gorilla. "Have you seen two people on the way to Tembo Valley?"

"Two people," the gorilla thought. "Were they riding in those loud whirly birds?"

"Do you mean helicopters?" Eliza asked.

"Eliza, it might be poachers." Darwin told her.

That made Cherry have an idea. "Did you see them? Did they have a cheetah cub with them?"

"I only saw the whirly birds land on the ground," the gorilla replied. "And then I saw people putting a fence across this valley."

"A fence? What for?" Eliza asked.

"Something's up." Cherry added.

"What's the quickest way to the valley?"

"Follow the river, be careful." the gorilla advised.

"Thanks," Cherry grabbed onto Donnie as he wiggled in her grip. "Donnie! Down! Stay! Darwin, help!"

Donnie laughed and put a beetle up Darwin's nose.

"Donnie, this is no time for your games." Darwin darted his eyes at him.

"Don't force it, chimp," the gorilla said. "It'll come out on its own good time."

"Gross," Cherry laughed and cringed. "Come on, we better get going and WHY ISN'T THIS KID ON A LEASH!? SERIOUSLY!" Cherry groaned as Donnie slipped out her grip and bounced off the walls in the jungle.

The group continued their dangerous journey and the sun was nearly going down. Cherry was having the most trouble.

"I should've stayed in school," she moaned. "I could be with Arlene getting my nails painted, or telling stories with Muffy, or get gum stuck under my chair from Sarah's friend, Ophelia Scott!"

"Cherry, no complaining," Darwin said, then rushed up beside Eliza. "She has a point, we've been walking for miles!"

"Relax, both of you," Eliza said, then looked beyond the distance. "Look! A campfire! It must be my parents!"

"Food! Water! Atmosphere!" Cherry gasped as she suddenly picked up the pace with her running with Eliza and Darwin.

"Mom! Dad!" Eliza called.

"Mr. and Mrs. Thornberry?" Cherry called. "It's me, Cherry! You might've heard about me from my older brother's fan letters to you!"

"Bree? Sloan?" the group caught up to see old, familiar faces.

"Eliza, what are you doing out here?" Sloan asked.

"The poachers are here," Eliza said. "They put up a fence in Tembo Valley."

"Really?" Bree asked. "Did you see them?"

"No, I..." Eliza felt trapped.

Cherry turned to her and waved her arms and shook her head, telling her not to reveal her secret.

"I mean, yes!" Eliza thought up a lie. "I saw them. A-And now I have to find my parents. They're filming the elephants."

"That's why we're here too," Sloan said. "To count the elephant population. If we can find any, of course."

"I can't imagine it's hard to miss an elephant in a jungle." Cherry shrugged.

"They're actually really hard to find, Cherry," Eliza said. "They're..." she then stopped and looked ill. "Oh, no..."

"What's wrong?"

"They stay in the forest except during the eclipse."

"I never knew that."

"It's a popular legend. The poachers must be after the elephants."

"What?" Bree and Sloan asked.

"They must be planning to catch them," Eliza continued. "They'll be a thousand out in the open! We have to call Jomo right away!"

The group made way for a radio while Cherry babysat Donnie. Every time he'd try to get away and Cherry was left to capture him. If not, Darwin would as well.

"Now you see what I go through." Darwin said after Cherry failed to catch Donnie.

"No signal," Sloan came with his radio. "Of all times."

"Well, can't you fix it?" Eliza asked.

"If only my Dad was here, he's great at fixing stuff." Cherry said.

"Sorry, we can't do anything about it tonight," Bree told the girls. "Tomorrow we'll find Eliza's parents and use their radio. It's settled."

"Bree's right," Sloan added. "The poachers won't try to go after the elephants before the eclipse."

"But I'm worried about Tally," Eliza moaned. "The cheetah cub I told you about."

"They have a point, Eliza, it's getting dark," Cherry said. "There's no sense in us getting lost in the jungle."

"We won't get lost, trust me." Eliza turned to her.

Donnie ran off.

"Donald Thornberry, you stop running like a monkey this instant!" Cherry groaned as she grabbed Donnie again.

Donnie looked annoyed and angry with Cherry, but stayed put.

"Now Eliza, your chimp, little brother and friend can sleep right here." Sloan offered.

"Thanks Sloan." Cherry smiled.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, Darwin, Eliza and Cherry were given sleeping bags and had camped out with Bree and Sloan under the stars. Cherry and Darwin were still asleep, but Eliza sat up in her position and looked all around, anxiously.

"Cherry! Darwin!" she called. "Donnie's gone, we need to find him! The eclipse is in a few hours!"

"But I'm not finished with my dream..." Cherry groaned, burying her face in her pillow.

"Donnie's always missing," Darwin said. "And I was dreaming about shepherd's pie!"

Eliza then knocked on Bree and Sloan's door while Darwin and Cherry slowly and unwillingly got up.

"Bree? Sloan? Have you seen Donnie?" Eliza knocked and the door opened. "He's..." Eliza looked to see Donnie at the door. "Donnie!"

Donnie jabbered and wandered inside the trailer.

"Donnie, I believe Sloan told you to stay out of there." Cherry waved a finger. "I ought to tell your parents about this!"

"Bree! Sloan!" Eliza called, as she and Cherry wandered in further together.

"This is like those science fiction movies..." Cherry felt creeped out. The room was all dark and a luminighting blue color. There were monitors sending out all over the jungle like some sort of surveillance.

"What is all of this?" Eliza wondered as she tripped over something.

"Eliza, you okay?" Cherry asked.

"I don't like this place," Darwin walked over, pulling on the wild child's arm. "We got Donnie, now let's go."

"What's that?" Eliza gasped, noticing a door.

"You don't think Bree and Sloan are aliens, do you?" Cherry asked, worriedly.

"Don't be silly, Cherry." Eliza grabbed the ends of the door and pulled it back. There was a smaller door revealed with a tiny window with bars against it like a tiny jail cell. Eliza looked into it after both girls heard faint whimpering and crying. Eliza's eyes then widened as a small cheetah cub came into their vision. "Tally!?"

"Oh, that must be Tally." Cherry moaned. "Don't worry, little guy, Eliza will get you out of there."

"Who are you?" the cub looked up at Cherry.

"I'm Cherry, I can talk to animals too." Cherry explained. "Eliza should be the one to save you after the stories I've heard about you and your adventures with her."

Eliza then found some bolts on the door, undid them and opened the door, thus freeing the cheetah cub. The cub happily and playfully pounced onto the red-headed girl.

"Eliza!" Tally cried.

"Oh, Tally!" Eliza happily took the cub, hugged him and spun him around in a little circle. "I knew we'd find you!"

"Eliza, we have to get out of here." Tally warned.

"What do you mean?" Cherry asked.

"Hello girls..." a dark voice crept up behind them, making shivers run up and down their spines.

"Sloan..." Eliza murmured.

"You were the poachers, weren't you!" Cherry hissed as she noticed Sloan and lost all faith, trust and respect she possibly had for him when they were all acquainted.

"Where did you get him?" Eliza asked, still shook up.

"I picked him up," Sloan replied. "On the savannah."

"You... bought him?"

"No," Sloan shook his head. "I picked him up...right off the ground."

"YOU SELFISH JERK! YOU SEPERATED THIS POOR ANIMAL FROM HIS FAMILY!" Cherry roared.

"I told Sloan he shouldn't cut the rope ladder." Bree added.

"It WAS you!" Eliza was angry now too.

"Yes," Sloan walked over as Tally growled and hissed. "Thank you so much for returning my knife to me."

"Ooh, kitten, you didn't drink all your milk," Bree picked Tally up out of Eliza's arms. "How are you ever going to grow big enough to make me a coat?"

Tally hissed and tried to bare claws on the couple.

"Oh, I'm afraid you'll both have to miss the solar eclipse," Sloan ruffled up Cherry's hair. "You can catch it on the Poaching Channel."

"You built the fence!" Eliza sneered.

"Of course," Sloan chuckled. He then approached the red-headed girl. "Now, here's a question for your famous father: how many volts of electricity does it take to kill a thousand elephants?"

Eliza and Cherry just looked angry, but then Sloan picked them both up, put them in corners and tied their wrists behind their backs.

"Oh, you poor little girls," Sloan smirked. "You are little troublemakers. First, Eliza shows up on my cheetah hunt, then you both jump from a train to save my rhino..."

"He's not your rhino." Cherry glared.

"Oh, really?" Sloan got in her face with a sneer, then walked over to Eliza. "And then somehow, you knew the poachers had shot him at the river. Yet, you were both on a train at the time."

"We guessed." Eliza answered quickly.

"Perhaps," Sloan continued. "And now you arrive in the jungle, knowing about a fence. A fence which no one witnessed being built. So, my little troublemakers, who told you?"

"No one." Cherry replied.

"Are your parents working with that Jomo person?" Sloan asked.

"They don't even know we're here." Eliza replied.

"Then who is the source of your information?"

"There's no one!" Cherry defended.

"You both know too much for little girls," Sloan growled. "I have too much invested on this operation to let anyone get in my way. If you don't tell me who they are, neither of you will see your families again!"

"Sloan, I hear someone coming." Bree said.

Sloan groaned and walked over to his wife.

"We got to get out of here!" Eliza cried.

"But how? No one knows we're here!" Cherry sighed.

"I'll help." Tally said and jumped to bite on the tough ropes tying everyone including Darwin and Donnie down.

"Go Tally go!" Eliza smiled.

"That's a good girl." Cherry smiled.

"I'm a boy." Tally corrected.

"Oh, sorry." Cherry chuckled.

"Yes, that's it," Darwin groaned. "Get the cheetah involved again. If we hadn't gone looking for him that night we wouldn't be in this mess."

"Don't blame Tally, you butt monkey," Cherry hissed.

"Oh, I'm not..." Darwin said to her.

"Tally didn't sneak out without permission," Eliza said. "Tally didn't run away from boarding school. Tally didn't trust those awful people who clearly don't like animals. I thought they were like me."

"When are you going to see that no one, besides Cherry, is like you?" Darwin huffed. "What more do you need? The shaman gave you a gift. Use it!"

"Darwin please!" Eliza sounded hurt.

"You don't know what to do with your powers!" Darwin added.

"Darwin, for once in your life, just be quiet!" Eliza growled.

"Eliza..." Cherry whimpered as Darwin looked hurt.

"Hi," there was a voice heard on the monitors. Eliza, Cherry, Darwin and Donnie looked up to see it was Debbie!

"Can we help you?" Bree asked with a friendly smile.

"Oh, yes," Debbie replied. "I'm looking for my sister, Eliza Thornberry." Debbie was then grabbed by Sloan. "Hey!"

"Debbie!" Cherry and Eliza gasped.

Soon enough, Cherry and Eliza were free as Tally finished cutting the ropes with his fangs. Both girls rushed out of their prison as Debbie was held dangerously by Bree and Sloan.

"Let her go!" Eliza demanded.

"Certinately," Sloan grinned. "If you tell me who is the source of your information."

"We told you there's no one!" Eliza cried, but then broke down in stammers. "W-We just guessed all of that stuff... the fence and the explosives and..."

Cherry facepalmed then.

"I never mentioned explosives!" Sloan walked off with Debbie to drop her into the ravine beneath the ledge they were all one. "You're both lying!"

"What's he talking about?" Debbie squirmed.

"Tell me or she goes over the edge!" Sloan hissed.

"Just get rid of her, Sloan!" Bree snarled, as she grabbed both Eliza and Cherry to prevent them from escaping.

"Please!" Eliza begged. "She doesn't know anything about this!"

"I can't tell you." Eliza moaned.

"Eliza!" Debbie cried as she was closer to death.

"Stop! Wait! I'll tell you!" Eliza gave him.

"Eliza, no!" Cherry cried.

"I know these things because," Eliza swallowed hard. "Cherry and I can talk to animals."

It grew dark and stormy right then and the wind was breezing heavily around everyone. Their hair and clothes were nearly flying off!

"What has she done?" Sloan growled.

"Sloan, let's get out of here!" Bree cried.


	9. Chapter 9

There was a bright blue-green light coming down as Bree and Sloan escaped to their helicopter. The lightning streak grabbed a hold of both Cherry and Eliza as Debbie was thrown down on the ground. It was like some sort of black magic. They were both being drained of their abilities to talk to animals. They were then free and walked slowly as things were being torn upside down. Donnie rushed over to the girls. Eliza quickly bent down and hugged Donnie as he went to Cherry and she did the same.

"Debbie..." Cherry coughed as the teenager walked over to them. "Debbie... We... Have to go..."

"Where are you going?" Debbie asked.

"We have to get Tally..." Eliza weakly replied. She then bent and picked up the cheetah cub in her arms. "Darwin, come on!"

"Yeah!" Cherry added and felt very, very weak.

Darwin didn't speak, but he hooted and hollered like his nature chimp instinct.

"Eliza... I can't understand Darwin!" Cherry cried.

"Neither can I," Eliza replied. "It's really gone..."

Eliza, Cherry, Darwin, Donnie and Debbie all then went down a dying tree trunk and got into the water with it. They all floated along as it slowly drizzled outside from the deep impact. After a while though, Cherry and Eliza explained to Debbie about Eliza's long-hidden secret from the family.

"You expect me to believe that a couple of years ago you freed a warthog, but he was really a magic man who made it so you could talk to animals, but you had to keep it a secret unless you met someone with the same ability, or else there'd be some tornado thing and you would lose your powers?" Debbie asked after the explanation.

"Well... yeah..." Eliza answered.

"I knew it!" Debbie slammed on the trunk which nearly made Cherry fall into the water. "That's why you're always sneaking out all the time with Darwin! How about you, save a warthog?"

Cherry shook her head. "I could always talk to animals, it was something I was born with."

"Oh, I have a few things to say to that monkey," Debbie continued. "Tell him that I don't appreciate it when he leaves pizza crusts under the seat cushions."

"Uhh... Debbie?" Cherry tried to settle her.

"Go ahead, tell him, I don't care which one of you does." Debbie prompted.

"Debbie, I broke the rule." Eliza said.

"She told about her powers, so she lost them." Cherry added.

"Oh my gosh," Debbie sounded touched. "You did that for me?"

"I can't talk to Darwin anymore," Eliza sighed. "And the last thing I said to him was really mean. Now, I can't even tell him I'm sorry."

Darwin hollered as the water spread quicker and quicker with each second.

"Eliza, Cherry," Debbie put a hand around the girls. "I may not speak monkey, but I think he's trying to tell us about that waterfall!"

"WAAAAH!" Cherry cried and tried to get herself to safety, but the group crashed against vines, but no one was injured. Cherry shivered and shook as she looked down anxiously.

"This must be Tembo Valley!" Eliza cried. "Come on, the eclipse is gonna start soon!"

After dangling from vines for a while, the group ran off together through the valley. Eliza, then followed by others, fell into a leaf trap and fell inside a hollow hole. Cherry landed first, followed by Eliza, Darwin, Donnie, Tally and Debbie. Cherry groaned and muffled as Darwin helped everyone else out.

"Darwin really watches out for you, doesn't he?" Debbie smiled.

"Yeah," Eliza smiled. "He's my best friend."

"I think my glasses are broken..." Cherry moaned as she held her shaken up glasses in her hands.

"The elephants!" Cherry watched the herd of elephants go for the electric fence Sloan and Bree set up. "It's a trap! They're all going to die and we can't even warn them!"

"But, can't you, like, make elephant noises or something?" Debbie asked.

"Debbie, we can't talk to them!" Cherry cried.

"Shaman Mnyambo told me in a dream that he gave me my gift for a reason." Eliza added. "It doesn't matter now, I lost it."

"Okay, enough you two," Debbie huffed. "Enough with 'poor us, we lost our magic powers' bit. Are you two just gonna sit there?"

"What are we supposed to do?" Cherry asked.

"We're just ordinary girls now." Eliza added.

"You?" Debbie turned to them. "Eliza, ever since you were a little kid you dragged home birds with broken wings and creepy toads and stuff. You didn't have special powers then. You just cared. Cherry, I don't know you very well, but I can tell you care a whole lot for animals yourself. Trust me, neither of you are ordinary."

"But, we can't talk-" Cherry spoke, but Debbie grabbed her and made her face her eye to eye.

"What's more important?" Debbie asked. "Saving a bunch of elephants or having special powers you can't share with anyone?"


	10. Chapter 10

There was then a helicopter that came by the girls, savage boy and chimp. Cherry squinted her eyes, then they widened as she realized it was Sloan and Bree. She then snarled and darted her eyes at them. Once Cherry met someone who wasn't as they seemed, she often looked down upon them and didn't want anything to do with them. Cherry turned her head to her friends.

"Cherry, what are we gonna do? The elephants are in danger, but we can't tell them!" Eliza cried.

"It kills me to say this, but your sister's right," Cherry walked over. "You shouldn't rely on your talking to animal powers get in the way of this, we'll find another way to solve this."

Eliza looked from outside the cavern and grabbed onto a vine.

"Eliza, what are you doing?" Cherry panicked.

"Come on," Eliza grabbed her arm and pulled her to a vine next to her. "I have an idea!"

"This won't end well..." Cherry moaned as she felt pain coming her way.

"Eliza, Cherry, no, they'll stomp on you!" Debbie cried.

"No they won't!" Eliza assured them.

"What if one of them sits on me?" Cherry cringed based on past experiences with elephants.

"Cherry, it's okay," Eliza told the dark-haired girl. "Elephants know when you're trying to help them."

"It's not too late to become ordinary, you two." Debbie said as the girls slid down to help the elephants.

"Eliza, I'm frightened!" Cherry cried.

"It's okay, Cherry." Eliza led her to the elephants as they tried to help them.

"Umm... Turn back! You have to go around! Please!" Cherry tried to help warn, but the elephants wouldn't listen and just trumpeted and others.

"The eclipse!" Eliza grew deeply worried and climbed on an elephant's trunk but dangled. "Oh, this is getting worse!"

"How do you think I feel, huh?" Cherry asked as she swung and twisted from an elephant's tail, swaying back and forth.

BAM!

The elephants grew scared and picked up the pace as a set of explosives scared them into going faster.

"I really should've stayed in London..." Cherry shuddered.

"I gotta think of something..."

"Eliza, use your heart instead of your brain!"

"My heart..." Eliza thought about Cherry's words.

"ELIZA!" Cherry cried as they inched closer to the electric fence.

Eliza looked back in worry and at the fence. It looked like it was coming closer by every second. The Thornberry girl pounced from elephant to elephant and got to the leader of the pack. She then took out a golden locket wrapped around her neck, yanked it off and threw it against the fence. It made it in time to sparkle the fence and stop the elephants in their tracks. The elephants calmed down and stayed away safe from fear and alarm.

"We did it, Cherry!" Eliza cheered. "Cherry?"

Cherry shook at her position and dropped herself on the ground with her eyes widened and her breathing grew shallow and wheezy.

BANG!

"Huh?" Cherry's head jerked up as she heard some bangs. "What was that bang!?"

"Oh, no!" Eliza cried as more harsh sounds filled the air. "They must be shooing!"

The helicopter came by and Sloan was on a walkie-talkie with someone else.

"They're turning around!" Sloan barked. "Start shooting!"

"But... there's two girls there..." the other voice replied.

"I don't care! Take down those elephants! I'll take care of the kids..."

"We're almost out of here, come on, Cherry." Eliza helped Cherry up on top of the leader elephant as the elephants slowly and gently turned around the other direction.

"We're almost there, you guys!" Cherry smiled, but then Sloan's rope ladder swung by and he grabbed both of the girls! "Hey, this is no way to treat a lady my age!"

"You'll regret this!" Sloan hissed.

"We don't care!" Eliza and Cherry cried.

"What you're doing is awful, you vicious, cold-blooded snake!" Cherry sneered.

"And what you're doing is stupid!" Sloan sneered at the girls. "Shame neither of you will be here to help me carry out the ivory." Sloan dropped Eliza into the running waterfall.

"ELIZA!" Cherry screamed.

"Oh, shut up, you filthy brat!" Sloan put tape on Cherry's mouth and shoved her inside the helicopter as a hostage.

Cherry muffled and her eyes stared in agape seeing Eliza fall and splash into the possibly dangerous water. The helicopter was going for the elephants by Sloan's orders and Bree following them.

"I can't reach!" Sloan called. "Bree, go lower!"

An elephant was enraged recognizing the poacher helicopter and gripped onto the rope ladder as Sloan took out his rifle. The rifle fell out and the helicopter was going unsteady. Cherry managed to get the tape off her mouth, but she slid and bounced around inside the helicopter. She screamed and fell right out, but an elephant wrapped its trunk around her, rolled it and smiled at her as she was now into safety, but it couldn't be the same for Sloan and Bree. The couple's rope broke and Sloan fell hard on the ground with Bree next to him and the helicopter crashed into a rocky cliff.

The elephant kindly let Cherry down on solid ground and let her rush over to Eliza to make sure she was okay. Debbie and Donnie came by with an African boy in a motorbike.

"Eliza!" Debbie cried out. "Cherry!"

"Eliza!" Cherry cried as Eliza was still going down the waterfall. It looked very hazardous. Even though Cherry couldn't swim she tried to follow her friend and held, but then she ran into the Shaman and stood her ground respectfully. "Shaman..." Cherry greeted.

"Ah yes, Cherry, I have heard about you." the shaman let out his stick for Eliza to grab onto and come onto dry land with him and Cherry.

"Shaman Mnyambo," Eliza spoke up once she had caught her breath. "I'm sorry. I messed up everything."

"We couldn't make them understand," Cherry added. "If Eliza hadn't broken that rule, we could've saved them."

"But you girls did save them." Shaman told them.

"We did?" Cherry tilted her head.

"See for yourselves." the man showed Cherry and Eliza the elephants were safe and sound still. "And you both did this, not with your gifts, but your hearts. If this is what you two can do without your powers, you have greater destinies than I've ever known. Cherry, you were born with your ability, I gave it to Eliza and I hoped you both could become friends, even if you can't talk about your powers."

"It's okay?" Cherry asked.

"Indeed," the shaman nodded. "I'm going to grant you both your powers back."

"You are?" Cherry asked, again.

"Really?" Eliza added.

"There is one condition I need to discuss with Eliza," the shaman walked over to the red-headed girl. "About your sister, how well do you think she can keep a secret?"


	11. Chapter 11

The eclipse ended and the elephants were rejoining as Bree and Sloan were on the ground. A couple of officers then came and took them to where they rightfully belong for trying endanger the elephant species. The couple tried to clear their names and convince it was a misunderstanding, but everyone knew that story was full of it. Cherry and Eliza's animal talking powers were rightfully given back to them, then the girls noticed the motorbike with Debbie and an African boy.

"Need a ride?" Debbie offered, then they were all riding back to the Thornberry campsite.

"Ew," the African boy pointed to Eliza and Cherry. "Brat sister and Geeky friend."

"I don't know where he got that." Debbie shrugged and smiled apologetically.

Cherry smiled and ruffled up Donnie's hair. Donnie chattered at her and licked her on the face like a dog.

"Donnie, you're so strange and adorable..." Cherry rubbed her face from the boy's slobber.

"Gabba goo?" Donnie handed Cherry a flower with a goofy smile.

"Aww... How can I say no to a face like that?" Cherry smiled and put the flower behind her ear.

"Debbie, stop!" Eliza alerted. "There's Darwin!"

"Well, I'll be." Cherry added as she followed Eliza with Donnie and Tally.

"Now, I know you think I talk too much, so from now on I'm gonna sit back and quietly observe and..." Darwin spoke.

"Yeah, like that'll ever happen." Eliza chuckled, hugging the chimp.

"Eliza?" Darwin was shocked. "Did you just talk to me?"

"We got our powers back." Cherry explained.

"Mom! Dad!" Eliza cried as she broke out of the hug.

Cherry's eyes went wide and she adjusted her glasses. "You must be Mr. and Mrs. Thornberry..."

"That's us," Marianne smiled, then frowned. "Who are you and where did you come from?"

"Mom, this is my friend from boarding school, her name's Cherry." Eliza put an arm around Cherry.

"Boarding school?" Nigel gasped. "She shouldn't be here!"

"It's okay, sir..." Cherry said, shakily around Nigel. She didn't know why but when she was around him she felt warm all the sudden and her face turned bright pink whenever he spoke to her. "W-We're not in a lot of trouble..."

"Mrs. Fairgood and Sarah Wellington have told me you both would be here." Eliza's grandmother told Cherry.

"Of course..." Cherry adjusted her glasses anxiously and smiled nervously around everyone.

Debbie went to say goodbye to the African boy as Cherry, Darwin and the Thornberry family walked around together with the elephants. Eliza and Cherry were telling everyone about their adventure they had when they should've been in boarding school. Cherry didn't say much, mostly since it was a reunion for the Thornberrys and her family was nowhere to be seen.

"Pretty amazing, huh Dad?" Eliza smiled as she watched the elephants go back home. "The legend was right."

"It was indeed, poppet," Nigel smiled at his daughter. "But I still wonder why they gather during an eclipse?"

"Maybe the elephants feel safe, Mr. Thornberry?" Cherry suggested as she sat beside him, hugging her knees.

"Safe?" Nigel turned to her.

Cherry shrugged.

"Maybe it's because it's the one day everything changes," Eliza thought. "The little moon blocks the powerful sun, so maybe... Maybe they have reason to hope..."

"You're both brilliant," Nigel smiled and pulled both girls in with his arms. "Maybe these intelligent creatures believe that standing by together as they have done for centuries, they may, live without fear of man's greed."

An elephant came by before leaving with the others and trumpeted at Cherry and Eliza, then went off to her family. Before hand though, she came over to Cherry and Eliza and gave Eliza back her locket.

"I don't know of course, but I swear she's thanking you two." Nigel smiled at the girls.

"I thinks so too, Dad." Eliza smiled, looking up at her father.

"I wouldn't be surprised, sir..." Cherry smiled bashfully at him.

Nigel then left to reunite with the rest of his family. Cherry and Eliza then took that moment to reunite Tally with his family.

"Tally, do you see her anywhere?" Eliza asked.

"This is where we always played." Tally replied.

"We'll find her, don't worry." Cherry told the cub. She then looked all around and looked in a far off distant field was a mother cheetah with some of her other cubs.

"Ma!" Tally cried.

"Tally?" the mother asked with a relieving smile. "Tally!"

"Ma, I'm back!" Tally sped over to his mother and they had a warm reunion of mother and child.

"Oh my baby, I thought we lost you." Tally's mother nuzzled noses with him.

"Akela, I should've listened to you," Eliza said apologetically. "I'm so sorry."

"I know you are," Akela smiled at the red-headed girl. "Tally's home now and safe. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Eliza smiled. She then noticed Cherry and pulled her arm gently and showed her to the mother cheetah. "Akela, before I go, I want you to meet one of my new best friends from school, Cherry."

"Hello." Cherry waved, nervously, being around a carnivore.

"Don't worry, child, I see you're also fluent in animal." Akela smiled.

"Yes ma'am," Cherry nodded. "I'd love to stay and chat but we'd better get back to your parents, Eliza."

"Good idea." Eliza smiled at her, then turned to the cheetahs. "I'm sorry Akela."

"It's alright, Eliza." Akela smiled back.

"One last goodbye hug?" Eliza offered, thus the cubs attacking her playfully and cuddled around her.

Cherry giggled, but then let out a scream as the cubs pounced on her and licked her all around. Cherry still laughed, but was very ticklish. "Down, cheetah cubs! Sit! Heel! Stay!" Cherry laughed, then got back up as she and Eliza were called back to the camp.

"Eliza! Cherry! Cut the cheetah chatter and let's go!" Debbie roared.

"Oh, got to go." Eliza smiled and pet one of the cubs after helping Cherry on her feet.

"Bye Eliza." the cubs sounded sad. "Bye Cherry."

"I'll miss you guys," Eliza walked with Cherry. "See you next time."

"I'm just glad those guys weren't hungry before we met them." Cherry walked with Eliza and they caught up with Debbie as she walked and read one of her teenage magazines.

"I don't know how I'm going to keep this secret of yours." Debbie remarked.

"You're gonna have to." Cherry told her.

"She's right," Eliza added. "I kind of agreed to a condition when I got my powers back."

"Uh-huh." Debbie said.

"You or Cherry can never tell my secret, because if you do, you guys will turn into baboons." Eliza snickered.

"WHAT!?" both Cherry and Debbie shrieked as Nigel was filming another episode of his show with Marianne.

"A baboon!?" Debbie shrieked.

"Calm down." Cherry tried to settle the older girl.

"I am not gonna spend the rest of my life with a big, purple butt!"

"Debbie!" Cherry cracked.

Donnie was bouncing all around and jumped on everyone's back to pull up their pants over an uncomfortable angle. He chased Cherry all around and pounced on her, finally catching up and putting her underwear over her head. Eventually after that little episode, Cherry's parents were contacted and Cherry was on her way home.

"Maybe boarding school was a little much for Cherry." Michelle thought as she drove Cherry back home to America and she slept in the back of the car.

"Probably," Bud agreed. "She's a sensitive little one, she's sophisticated, but maybe public school is just step one in her manual of life."

"We can always try again when she's a little more older."

"That's true."

"At least she made a new friend, even if that friend is from the blood of Nigel Thornberry." Michelle looked back then hushed her husband gently. "Let's wake her when we're back home and she can go back to her normal life. Who knows what she's been through lately?"

The End


End file.
